Eye of the Dragon
By (Author) Susan Brocker
Scholastic New Zealand Limited
Scholastic New Zealand
1st March 2025
New Zealand
Children
Fiction
Childrens / Teenage fiction: School stories
Childrens / Teenage personal and social topics: Bullying, violence, abuse and pe
Childrens / Teenage personal and social topics: Families and family members
Paperback
120
Width 128mm, Height 198mm, Spine 9mm
Bullied at school about his stutter, and feeling ignored at home by his mum, stepdad and stepsister, Thomas takes off to the beach with the family dog, Lucy. The dog begins barking outside a cave. Bold enough to investigate, Thomas finds an injured dragon. He is frightened at first but something about the dragons eye reassures him and invites him to come closer. A friendship is sparked. Determined to help the dragon hes called Puff, Thomas confides in his friend Huhana, who to his surprise doesnt dismiss his dragon as make-believe and tells him about Mori taniwha, some of which were believed to act as protective guardians. The dragon flies Thomas to visit his estranged father, and he learns about the accident that caused his stutter. As Thomas gains confidence throughout the story, with the help of Huhana and Puff, he stands up to the bullies and helps uncover an illegal logging operation that threatens the town. As his confidence builds, he loses his stutter and his need for the dragon dwindles.